About 15 years ago, a friend told me that I have the gift of exhortation. It sounded eerie to me, until she explained that people blessed with the gift do an awesome job of encouraging others.

The moment I learned about what she meant, I realized that it was one of the best things anyone has ever said to me.

In 2004, I was part of a road accident. It was actually a near-death experience. When I came back to work after a week of bed rest, my boss asked me, "Lea, stories tell that people who survive accidents like that might have acquired superpowers!" He was kidding, of course. We are scientific.

I love research. I've basically lived in the laboratory since college. My first job was cloning viruses. So one day as I was drawing a schematic diagram of the day's experiment, I looked at my samples and said to myself, "Maybe I indeed have superpowers now. What if I can see my pet viruses with my naked eye..." I know it was hilarious but yeah, that would be cool. At the same time, it made me think, "Hey, I have a superpower way better than that -- I encourage!"

Each of us has his or her own superpower(s). You probably know what is yours already. If not, it's time to figure out what it is. And then determine why it was given to you. You have it for a purpose. The common denominator for all the superpowers that we have is they were given to us so we can serve others.

You may be a good writer. With that superpower, you can inspire others by writing blogs or stories.

Maybe you have a green thumb. Let those beautiful flowers brighten the day of each neighbor passing by your house.

Are you a photographer? Show the beauty of God's creation to the world.

Are you a fashion expert? Help others gain self-confidence.

Maybe you are a teacher. Not necessarily by profession, but you love to impart knowledge. Share what you know to educate others.

Perhaps you are a good cook. Express your love by serving hearty meals to your family and friends. Share your recipes.

You can be a good listener. Use this superpower to ease the burden of a friend by offering your undivided attention as she pours her heart out.

Each one of us is blessed with abilities which can either be ignored or cultivated. We are accountable for the superpowers given to us, and we must choose to use them wisely. This means giving a part of ourselves to others, specially those who are in need.

So going back to my story earlier, it turned out that I still needed a microscope to view the occlusion bodies of viruses. My naked eyes alone won't do the job. But guess what, using my superpower, I saved the day of a younger graduate student -- after we talked, she decided to run another trial of her experiment after failing for the nthtime. She finished her course and it felt so good.How about you? I would like to hear about your superpowers!

January is coming to an end. Are you still keeping up with your New Year's resolution (if you have one)? If not, let's make an amendment. Let's turn your New Year's resolution into a daily resolution.

Each New Year is a start of a new life. And so is each week. Everyday, in fact, is a new beginning. With this in mind, get your hopes up that no matter how many times you fail to work on your resolution, you can get back on track anytime. This doesn't mean you can leave for tomorrow what you can do today. It means not giving up until you succeed.

It is common for people to make resolutions for the incoming year. However, it is also common to make the mistake of not creating a concrete plan on how to accomplish them. A set of goals without an accompanying plan of action is never far from an idle wish list.

This is where a daily resolution comes in handy. The key is to get down to the details of what your day will look like. I'll give an example. For instance, if your resolution is "to eat healthy and lose weight," you can make the following changes in your schedule to accommodate the steps that lead to achieving your goal:

1) Set aside a time on Saturday night to plan healthy meals for the upcoming week. Take note of the ingredients then make a checklist of groceries to be bought on Sunday.

*Note to self: Don't buy junk foods and canned goods.

2) Go to bed early at night so you can wake up 30 minutes earlier each morning to exercise before eating a healthy breakfast.

*Note to self: I know this is difficult, but don't just wake up when the alarm rings, get up!

3) Share your resolution and game plan to your family and friends who are willing to support you.

*Note to self: Surround yourself with supportive people and don't give in to temptations.

These 3 steps can make a huge difference. You can restructure your new and more productive schedule if needed, like if you want to add an extra 15 minutes to your workout routine, you can wake up 45 minutes earlier. To ease in to this schedule, you might also want to adjust the time you sleep at night a bit earlier. Or, you can make changes gradually. You might want to do exercises every other day instead of every day as a start. The thing is to be realistic and not lose focus at the same time. Do something each day that will lead you to your goal.

If you can make your resolution a part of your day and live with it, you have joined the 8% of people who keep up on the resolution they made at the beginning of the year.

You don't have to wait for the next New Year. Every day, you have a shot of making a brand new start.

This
beautifully scented tea tree oil is contained in an amber bottle. It is
sensitive to light and air so packaging is done in such a way that its original
state will not be altered, ensuring the quality of the product. It is safely
and securely packed in a box and delivered to you via Amazon.

I
did not know about the numerous uses of Australian Tea Tree Oil until I saw
Apothecary Extracts Australian Tea Tree Oil eBook. You will receive a copy of it when you order the product on Amazon.

Before,
the only use of tea tree oil that I know of is for pampering, aromatherapy,
massage, and spa procedures. I was so excited to find out its many other
possible uses! The eBook contains different recipes using tea tree oil as well
as the methods of application. For example, as a skin care product you can use
it to make a spot remover, anti-acne, or facial wash. For your body, it can be
used as a main ingredient for various types of scrub. You can even use it to
make a deodorant, toothpaste, or mouthwash. Tea tree oil is also hair and scalp
friendly, they can turn the tide if you are having a bad hair day. The product
can be used to make shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and moisturizing oil. For
home care and first aid remedies, tea tree oil can give you relief from a wide
range of discomfort such as sunburn and sore muscles. It is also an
antibacterial and antiseptic. As for household use it is a good component for
detergent, dryer sheet, and all-purpose cleaner. If you love making homemade
soaps and stuff, whether to sell or for your own use, consider this product as
it’s absolutely perfect for you!

I
like pampering myself, and I must say I am enjoying tea tree oil’s many
aromatherapy uses; ranging from oil diffuser, air freshener, bath oil, massage
oil, bath salt, and potpourri mix.

My
first use of Apothecary Extracts Australian Tea Tree Oil was as oil diffuser.
As the oil got dispersed in the air, I had assured myself I would be making it
again. It reminded me of my trips to the spa, this time just so much better
because I am in the comfort of home. I also tried the potpourri and placed it
in my bathroom to complement my tea tree oil bath soak and bath salt. So
relaxing.

These
are just a few uses of the amazing product and the eBook contains various
recipes you can try using Apothecary Extracts Tea Tree Oil. You only need a
small amount so your bottle goes a long way. It’s truly a wonderful gift from
nature.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.